H-BRS is delighted with successful start-up Zentio

A great success for the start-up Zentio and a reason to celebrate for the start-up consultancy at Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg: High-Tech-Gründerfonds is investing 1.4 million euros in the young company. The public-private venture capital company wants to support the growth of the company founded in 2025 by Julian Rose, Immo Polewka and Christophe Kafrouni. The early-stage investor SIVentures is also involved in this financing round. The High-Tech-Gründerfonds is a public-private partnership focussing on technology-oriented start-ups. The German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, KfW Capital and 45 companies from many industries are involved. 

The history of Zentio is closely linked to the start-up consultancy of Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg. From day one, the university's start-up manufactory accompanied the young founding team and supported and advised them in setting up the company. 

The young entrepreneurs' idea for AI-supported production planning first came to the attention of a wider audience in October 2024. At the final of the Start-up Cup, the university's internal ideas competition, six teams presented their business ideas in the large lecture theatre on the Sankt Augustin Campus. Each team had just five minutes to impress the jury and audience with their idea. Among the ideas up for selection were a new type of lymphatic drainage device, which the jury particularly liked, and a forest fire early warning system. H-BRS graduate Julian Rose and Immo Polewka also presented their idea: software designed to help small and medium-sized enterprises better plan their production resources. Who in the room would have bet that just over a year later, €1.4 million in venture capital would end up in the two developers' business account? In any case, the majority of the audience had other images in mind and awarded the Audience Award to a platform for the rental of sports cars. Julian Rose and Immo Polewka took it in their stride and continued with their project. 

Just a few months later, the next milestone in the history of the new business idea was reached:  The young entrepreneurs successfully applied for the EXIST start-up grant, the best-known nationwide funding programme for young companies. It was the first start-up team from H-BRS to receive this funding in more than five years. With the funding for 12 months behind them, they were now able to concentrate fully on their project. They were supported by Peter Goeke (himself an experienced founder) as a start-up coach and consultant. The university employee provided support on topics such as fundraising, strategy and marketing. He also analysed and evaluated the business plan - an essential requirement for the scholarship.

"We are delighted that we were able to help Zentio get their start-up idea off the ground," says Peter Goeke. "This proves once again that we are a university with a strong start-up culture that produces strong start-up personalities."

H-BRS graduate and Zentio co-founder Julian Rose emphasises the importance of the scholarship: "The EXIST scholarship was an important step for us and laid the foundation for the founding and further development of Zentio. The Startup-Manufaktur team actively supported us and we were able to benefit from the founding experience of our start-up coach."

From Berlin, where their company is now based, the three founders are now focusing on realising their vision: to raise the standard of decision-making in the European manufacturing industry to a new level. Along the way, the university's start-up advisory service will remain closely involved with Zentio and continue to provide support with advice and coaching.